WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The Lycoming College Education Department hosted a Student Learning Objective (SLO) training seminar sponsored by BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 on Friday, Feb. 28. More than 30 administrators and teachers from area public schools attended to learn about the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s new educator effectiveness system.

SLOs are locally designed and approved assessments to measure students’ achievement as one indicator of a teacher’s effectiveness. All teachers in Pennsylvania must develop and implement SLOs, which will count for 35 percent of teachers’ evaluations, in the upcoming school year.

“The event allowed Lycoming’s education professors and students the opportunity to keep updated on current practices that teachers will experience in their profession,” said Amy Rogers, Ph.D., chair and assistant professor of education. “Lycoming and BLaST will host two more events for local administrators, teachers, professors and teacher candidates this spring.”

Rachel Hickoff-Cresko, Ed.D., assistant professor of education, added that Lycoming’s partnership with BLaST will serve to help Lycoming students in the future as well.

“We don’t often see these types of partnerships available for pre-service teachers and feel it will allow our students to gain experiences that will not only help them as they get out into the field, but will also make them distinguished teacher candidates,” she said.

BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 serves Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties by assisting regional schools with their charge to educate special needs children and provide speech, hearing and vision services as well as psychological services.

Lycoming College is a four-year, residential liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. Its rigorous academic program, vibrant residential community and supportive faculty foster successful student outcomes. Lycoming offers 36 academic majors and is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1812 and located near the banks of the Susquehanna River in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation. For more information, visit www.lycoming.edu.